Sex differences in reward neurocircuitry underlying alcohol craving and consumption in trauma-exposed individuals - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Candidate: My long-term goals are to acquire a tenure-track faculty position at a research-intensive university that serves students who reflect the diversity of the United States. My research will utilize multi-modal neuroimaging techniques to better understand the neural correlates and developmental relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use in women and racial/ethnic minority groups. I have a strong background in using structural and functional neuroimaging techniques to study the threat-related neurocircuitry related to the development and maintenance of PTSD. In this application, I propose to extend my training by first learning the basic neural mechanisms that promote alcohol use and how trauma exposure may contribute to neurological vulnerabilities in women, making this group more prone to using alcohol. Furthermore, I will build off the training I am already receiving through my Diversity Supplement award to learn how to use complex longitudinal statistical models to analyze ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data. Ultimately, this additional training will give me the skills to produce high-impact publications and successful R01 submissions. Training: In addition to Dr. Jennifer Stevens, I have a mentoring team filled with experts in academic research who will provide the necessary training and guidance to accomplish this proposal. Dr. Julie Kable is an Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry and Associate Director of the Emory Neurodevelopmental Exposure Clinic, Dr. Justine Welsh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Emory Healthcare Addiction Services and Medical Director of the Addiction Alliance of Georgia, and Dr. Nicole Nugent is an Associate Professor at Brown University. Outside of the mentoring team, we have identified workshops, seminars, and meetings to provide further technical training, presentation experience, responsible conduct in research, and the necessary skills (negotiations, tenure, laboratory management) to transition to independence. Research: PTSD and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are highly co-occurring disorders (PTSD+AUD). Women are twice as likely than men to develop PTSD, and women face more detrimental health effects from alcohol compared to men. A large body of work has examined the neural mechanisms that underlie each disorder, separately. However, very few studies have examined the neural substrates of co-occurring PTSD+AUD, and none have examined sex differences. My preliminary data shows sex differences in the striatum, a region important in reward-related behavior. This proposal aims to define sex differences in reward-related neurocircuitry that contribute to alcohol use behaviors in trauma-exposed women. By using EMA and functional neuroimaging techniques, I anticipate expanding our understanding of sex differences in reward- related neurocircuitry that promote alcohol use in trauma-exposed populations. The successful completion of this proposed project has the potential to inform the development of preventative interventions to inhibit the development of AUD in trauma-exposed women.
